The Power Of Why

Hardcover | October 9, 2012

Why are some people able to get so much more done in so much less time than others? Why do some companies flourish in tough times while others fail? Why are some countries more productive than others?

Through an entertaining mix of examples from the business world, insights from innovation gurus, little-known research, the experiences of business leaders and her own candid stories of life off-camera, Amanda Lang explains how asking the right questions has changed the world and how it can change you, too. From the invention of the curved shower curtain rod to the introduction of an elevator that creates electricity as it moves from floor to floor, The Power of Why persuasively spells out the connection between innovation and productivity that is so crucial in the knowledge economy.

Instead of obsessing over working “smarter,” we ought to focus on the instinctive urge to question that’s so natural for young children. As Lang shows, it’s possible to reignite that instinct at any age and to become more innovative and productive—as well as more fulfilled in our jobs and happier in our relationships. That’s the power of why.

INDIGO SPOTLIGHT: The Power of Why is a wide ranging discussion of curiosity-driven innovation. It's filled with stories, many of them Canadian, about people and companies who recognize limits with the status quo. In stories of cupcakes, power generating soccer balls, and large companies like Lululemon and Canadian Tire, Lang finds pe...

From the Publisher

Why are some people able to get so much more done in so much less time than others? Why do some companies flourish in tough times while others fail? Why are some countries more productive than others?Through an entertaining mix of examples from the business world, insights from innovation gurus, little-known research, the experiences o...

AMANDA LANGis the co-host ofThe Lang & O'Leary Exchangeon CBC and the senior business correspondent for CBC News. She studied architecture at the University of Manitoba before turning to journalism, serving first with theFinancial Postand eventually becoming their New York correspondent. A popular speaker on the topics of business and ...

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INDIGO SPOTLIGHT: The Power of Why is a wide ranging discussion of curiosity-driven innovation. It's filled with stories, many of them Canadian, about people and companies who recognize limits with the status quo. In stories of cupcakes, power generating soccer balls, and large companies like Lululemon and Canadian Tire, Lang finds people who ask "why" again and again. They aren't visionaries, world-changers, or geniuses, but simply curious people who realize that asking the right questions and embracing small, even accidental change, yields huge results.Lang's book is part psychology, part economics, and part sociology; she presents the unorthodox approaches inquisitive people take to everyday and commonplace things. Apparently insurmountable problems, whether tinkering with power saws or changing corporate branding, become intriguing opportunities for change once you begin to ask slightly different questions.Like The Power of Habit and the writings of Malcolm Gladwell, The Power of Why is a sure discussion starter. In a simple and direct style, every page drives home the child-like joys of stepping back, asking new questions, and embracing the power of "why".